Chapter 9

Back in the cell, Yang Zhen did not urgently press Guo Bingxun about whether he had contacted his subordinate. Instead, he asked for his impressions of the Japanese soldiers wearing two different styles of military uniforms, particularly his observations on their combat capabilities. Yang Zhen believed that as a high-caliber graduate from a French military academy, Guo Bingxun should have the discernment to make such an assessment.

It is important to note that before World War II, the most famous Western military academy was the French Saint-Cyr Military Academy, known as the cradle of generals. The West Point Military Academy only gained its reputation after World War II and was not yet considered a world-class military academy at the time. Although the French army performed poorly during World War II, this did not reflect the incompetence of the Saint-Cyr Military Academy. In fact, before World War II, the Saint-Cyr Military Academy and the British Sandhurst Military Academy were far superior to the West Point Military Academy and the Soviet Frunze Military Academy in the Western world. The outcomes of World War II were what truly made the latter two famous.

As a graduate of the Saint-Cyr Military Academy, if Guo Bingxun lacked this discernment, the academy would indeed deserve to close its doors. Moreover, he had specialized in staff work at the academy and had experienced actual combat. If a staff officer, who is a key advisor to military commanders, lacked such military acumen, it would be no wonder they always suffered defeats.

Fortunately, Guo Bingxun did not disappoint Yang Zhen. After hearing Yang Zhen's question, Guo Bingxun immediately responded without hesitation, "I carefully observed the Japanese soldiers wearing two different styles of uniforms. Although there are fewer Japanese soldiers in standard uniforms outside the prison, their movements indicate that they are strictly and professionally trained. From their tactical maneuvers, I can confidently say that they are veterans, and most have served for at least two years."

"Based on our multiple engagements with the Japanese army, their soldiers, in terms of tactical proficiency and individual combat capabilities, far surpass ours, and even those of developed European countries. Their tactical coordination, artillery coordination, and even the basic quality of their soldiers are unmatched by any Chinese army, including the so-called elite German-equipped units of the Central Army."

"The Japanese soldiers, in terms of basic combat skills, are absolutely world-class. Their riflemen, especially those who have served for more than two years, are all sharpshooters. The accuracy of their rifle fire is something I have never seen, even during my years of study in France, where I saw many European armies."

"Not only in marksmanship, but also in close combat, we have no advantage. Even three of our soldiers are no match for one Japanese soldier. In close combat, it often takes five of our lives to take down one Japanese soldier."

"This place is in Northeast China, and according to the Japanese military structure, it should fall under the jurisdiction of the Kwantung Army, known as the 'Flower of the Imperial Army.' The Kwantung Army has always been regarded by the Japanese as their most elite force. The tactical level of the Kwantung Army is even higher than that of the Japanese forces inside China."

"Despite the fact that there are only a few dozen Japanese soldiers outside, and we have over a hundred people on just this floor, even if all of us were armed, in terms of combat capability, we would not be a match for these few dozen Japanese soldiers. The gap in combat proficiency is too great, and we are not on the same level."

"Our Sichuan Army soldiers are not afraid to die, but apart from the disparity in weapons and equipment, our daily training and tactical proficiency are far inferior to the Japanese, with the exception of a few veterans. This gap cannot be bridged by mere enthusiasm."

"In combat, our Sichuan Army often employs tactics from the civil war era. During charges, we rush in a mob, and during defense, we form a straight line. As a result, we suffer heavy losses under the bombardment of Japanese aircraft and artillery. Many of our soldiers are killed by Japanese fire before they even see a Japanese soldier."

"The Sichuan Army is known for its poor equipment, even compared to the Central Army, and is far inferior to other irregular forces like the Yunnan and Shanxi-Sui Armies. Most of our soldiers are armed with locally-made rifles, and a company with three machine guns is considered a main force. Most soldiers have never even seen a tank or an airplane, let alone anti-tank weapons. We lack even the grenades needed for human bombs."

"Faced with the overwhelming firepower of the Japanese from the ground and air, the poorly equipped Sichuan Army soldiers can only rely on their flesh and blood. As commanders, we are helpless and can only watch as our brothers fall under Japanese fire. Many units are not defeated in combat but are literally blown apart by Japanese aircraft and artillery, or overrun by Japanese tanks."

"In the eyes of the Central Army, we irregular forces are not even considered stepchildren. They do not provide us with anti-tank guns, anti-aircraft guns, or even basic rifles and ammunition. After a fierce battle, we have to find ways to replenish our equipment and personnel ourselves."

"Speaking of blocking bullets, we are the ones who do it, but when it comes to replenishing supplies and personnel, we are left out. In less than two years of the war, the Sichuan Army has already lost two division commanders. Thinking of those who fell under the Japanese fire, my heart aches."

"Resisting the Japanese and saving the country is the duty of the Sichuan Army, but the Central Government's approach is truly disheartening. While we fight on the front lines, they undermine us from behind. They not only refuse to help when we are in danger but also dismantle the Sichuan Army. In the battle of Tengxian, if the Central Army's 20th Corps had not abandoned us, General Zhong would not have died for his country." Thinking of the fallen comrades, Guo Bingxun could not control his emotions and tears streamed down his face.

Seeing Guo Bingxun's emotional state, Yang Zhen sighed but did not know how to comfort him. As a person from the future, Yang Zhen was already well aware of what Guo Bingxun was saying. However, such matters were not easily explained.

After a long while, Guo Bingxun calmed down and said, "Brother Yang, you asked about our impressions of the Japanese soldiers wearing different uniforms. I can say that the Japanese soldiers outside are definitely elite, and all of us combined are no match for them."

"As for the Japanese soldiers in the corridor, I feel they do not resemble regular Japanese army soldiers but rather seem to be armed civilians who have received military training. If it were only these people, our men could still fight them."

At this point, the completely calmed Guo Bingxun suddenly looked up at Yang Zhen, who was deep in thought, and asked, "Brother Yang, are you asking me these questions because you have some idea in mind?"

Yang Zhen shook his head and replied, "I don't have a clear plan yet. I just feel that the regular Japanese guard forces here seem to be few, and most of the guards are the armed civilians you mentioned. Brother Guo, have you noticed that when we are allowed to exercise, it is not all floors at once but one floor at a time?"

"We all wear leg irons, which are not light. When we walk, the sound of the leg irons rubbing against the ground is loud and carries far, especially on this cement floor. No matter how good the Japanese construction quality is, they cannot prevent this sound from being heard."

"The Japanese are very cunning. They put these leg irons on us not just to restrict our movements but also to serve as an alarm. If we make any unusual moves, the Japanese can hear us from a distance. If we were all allowed to exercise at the same time, we should be able to hear the sound of leg irons rubbing against the ground from the upper floors. Did you hear that today?"

"We were brought here with about five hundred people, but this place can only hold about a hundred at most. Where are the others? I think they are probably being held on the upper or lower floors."

"When we were locked in this cell last night, we clearly heard the sound of iron doors clanging on the upper floors. Even now, we occasionally hear the sound of leg irons rubbing against the ground from upstairs. This indicates that the Japanese are not just holding us on this floor, and the sound of leg irons can be heard here."

"During the exercise time today, I listened carefully, and the corridor upstairs was very quiet, with no sounds at all. This means that the exercise time was only for this floor, and the other floors have either finished or have not started yet."

"The signs I mentioned only indicate one thing: the Japanese do not allow us to exercise at the same time. If my guess is correct, why do they do this? Is it because of a lack of guards, or is there another reason?"

"You saw that even on the same floor, prisoners are not allowed to talk to each other. They monitor us very closely, not letting us make a single move. If people on the same floor are not allowed to communicate, it is even less likely that people on different floors can communicate. I think the reason they let us exercise in batches is not this. The only possibility is that they do not have as many guards as they appear to have. If we all exercised at the same time, they would find it difficult to handle any unusual situations."

At this point, Yang Zhen looked up at the small window on the cell door, which is only opened for meals or inspections, and shook his head, "This is all just my guess. I don't know if it's correct."

Hearing Yang Zhen's speculation, Guo Bingxun was at a loss for a moment. However, he greatly admired Yang Zhen's keen observations, "Brother Yang's observations are very detailed. You can discern things from the smallest details, which is truly impressive. Whether your guess is correct or not, at least we have a good start."

After saying this, Guo Bingxun smiled bitterly, "However, I did not notice these things. During the exercise time, I was thinking about how to communicate with my subordinate, and my mind was not on other matters. Unfortunately, the Japanese guards are too vigilant, and I never managed to speak to him."

After listening to Guo Bingxun, Yang Zhen lowered his head and thought for a moment. This was indeed a tricky problem. If he really found an opportunity to act, no matter what method he came up with, he would need a helper. But if they could see each other but not speak, how could they communicate?

After the exercise today, Yang Zhen had a clearer idea of what to do, though he still needed a few more days of observation to make a final decision. At least he had a starting point and was no longer completely at a loss.

Guo Bingxun's words had already made Yang Zhen abandon his original plan to act during the exercise time, which had little chance of success. During the exercise today, there were only about twenty to thirty fully armed Japanese soldiers outside, while there were nearly a hundred of them on this floor alone.

Guo Bingxun said that even if they were all fully armed, they were no match for the twenty to thirty Japanese soldiers. Given his discernment, he was unlikely to be lying. If a hundred fully armed men were no match for twenty to thirty Japanese soldiers, acting during the exercise time would be a massacre, not an escape. Therefore, Yang Zhen knew that if they were to act, it would have to be at night, as there was no hope of success during the day.

If he were to escape alone, with the skills he learned in the military and his basic understanding of Japanese, even if he was not fluent, he could at least communicate, and there would still be a chance, no matter how tight the Japanese security was.

However, to bring out all these hundreds of people, he would definitely need a capable helper, someone skilled in combat. Even if they could not kill silently, they should at least be proficient in some special killing techniques.

From Guo Bingxun's praise of this person's skills, Yang Zhen knew that the person he recommended should meet his needs. However, being so close yet unable to contact him was a headache for Yang Zhen. He thought for a long time but could not come up with a way to communicate without alerting the guards, which made him quite anxious.

Seeing Yang Zhen deep in thought, Guo Bingxun knew he was pondering something and did not disturb him. He sat quietly on the side, occasionally tapping his fingers lightly on the bedpost, making a slight sound.

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